More aggression required

It sure seems as though the Browns' defense, which Rip Van Winkled through the first six games of the 2022 National Football League season, has awakened and seems poised to become the necessary ingredient they need to have a reasonable shot at qualifying for the postseason.

Nothing wrong with the offense, which is humming along at a 25-points-a-game pace, certainly good enough to be better than 3-5 at this point of the season. It's the defense, which regurgitates as many points as the offense scores, that needs to come through and play as well as their offensive brethren.

If not for a baffling inability to play even semi-quality defense in the first six games, the Browns wouldn't be in their current position of having to play catchup the rest of the season to remain relevant. It's a challenge that seems to be in the early stages of a rebirth based on the last two games.

Bottom line: This defense stunned just about everyone last season and played top-five football statistically in the second half to keep post-season hopes alive despite a terrible offense only to futilely fail. It needs to replicate that in the next nine games to rekindle hopes that ebbed substantially after the first six.  

From this point on, every game will have the pressure of a playoff game where one bonehead play can mean the difference between planning for next year and inching one step closer to football in lateJanuary. It will be a slippery slope that requires near-perfect football. You know, the kind they displayed in the Halloween eve victory over Cincinnati and, to a lesser extent, against Baltimore a week earlier.

The key to the defense's performance in both of those games was their approach and attitude. The belligerent nature was welcoming to the point where I wondered what took so long to unleash it. The heretofore soft, passive manner in which they slogged to 2-4 and three-game losing streak was frustrating.

Frustrating not only to the fans, but the players, who reportedly spoke up and wondered when defensive coordinator Joe Woods was going to dial up more man coverage instead of zone, which might have been too complicated to execute and possibly the causal factor for so many embarrassing blown coverages.

It's virtually impossible for a defensive back to blow a coverage singling up a potential receiver unless he slips. Reaction time is so much quicker to make a play in man coverage, as opposed to the time and distance required for a defensive back in zone to make a play.

The Browns have the personnel to play more bump-and-run football with Denzel Ward, who will be back Sunday in Miami after missing the last two games with a concussion, Greg Newsome II and rookie Martin Emerson Jr., who has played well in Ward's absence.

Utilizing man coverage also gives the defensive line a better chance to sack opposing quarterbacks, who generally love throwing against a zone look because it gives their targets more time with less company to find a zone's soft spots.

It was in their 23-20 loss to the Ravens, which easily could have been won by the Browns with way better playcalling by the, ahem, head coach, playcaller and wannabe offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski, that encouraging signs of improvement surfaced.

The defense allowed just 17 first downs, 254 total yards and only two touchdowns to a Ravens offense that has had its way with the Browns since Lamar Jackson became their quarterback. They sacked him three times and limited him to 94 yards passing.

They were even better against the Bengals. Only 15 first downs, 36 yards rushing, created two turnovers, won time of possession by nearly 14 minutes, just 228 total yards on offense and sacked Joe Burrow five times. They played pissed off on both sides of the football. 

In football, defense is all about aggression. On offense, it's mostly about timing with a little attitude and swagger sprinkled in. The next two games against two of the NFL's best offenses in Miami and Buffalo, both on the road, will provide litmus tests the defense must pass for any conversation about playoff football to continue. 

The talent is there. It needs help. Aggression must be a constant companion from now on.